My Commons Life

News & features about the Vanderbilt Commons from the students who live here

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MCL Top 5: Things I Learned Over Fall Break

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Going into Fall Break, I was a little worried. Don’t get me wrong. I was looking forward to the reprieve from my classes, but I knew it would be the loneliest I had been since I arrived on campus in August. Being a highly extroverted person, this thought scared me and even made me start to dread the long weekend. However, in all my worrying I overlooked a fact my introverted counterparts are highly familiar with: solitude can bring about clarity. So to those of you who ask what I did over Fall Break, I respond: I did nothing, but learned a ton. Without further ado, here are the top five lessons I learned spending Fall Break on campus.

1. Make the best out of what you have

Something that was relatively unique to my Fall Break was the fact that I had a 10 page long take home midterm assigned. That – coupled with the fact that most of my friends left – should have made for a pretty miserable weekend, but in a weird twist, these two bad things actually complimented each other surprisingly well. I found that instead of being upset, I appreciated the fact that I had something to do while my friends were gone and that I didn’t feel pressure to finish my essay immediately.

2. Explore your surroundings

Usually when I walk somewhere on campus, I’m heading for a particular location. For the first time, I decided to walk to Main Campus without a particular purpose in mind, and I have to say I enjoyed it. Over break, I felt like I got to acquaint myself with campus a little bit more, and I know I am better off for it.

3. Reconnect with old friends

Our families aren’t the only ones we left back home. Almost all of us have friends we know from high school (or even earlier). Over break, I reached out to some of my own friends back home, and I’m so glad I got a chance to catch up with them. If you have the time, I highly recommend reaching out to some old friends. You’ll be surprised how nice it is to talk to them.

4. Branch out

One thing I quickly learned over break was that I still knew people on campus, even if they weren’t the people I normally spend my time with. I had many great conversations and experiences with those that I don’t normally spend long periods of time with and found it refreshing. I know this is something that would not have happened without my break being the way it was.

5. Focus on you

There’s nothing like everyone else flying across the country to make you focus on your own wellbeing. Over break, I took some time to reset and take care of myself. It was also the first time since arriving on campus that I got well over 8 hours of sleep. If you haven’t done this yet, you need to (and you shouldn’t wait until Thanksgiving to give it a try).

Final Thoughts

While I learned these lessons thanks to Fall Break, they shouldn’t be exclusively for that weekend. It was because I paused that I realized how important these things are. However, just because Fall Break is over doesn’t mean these practices should be.

Vegetarian at Vandy: A One Week Challenge

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I love meat. 

I love chicken tenders with my fries, pork belly in my ramen, and beef bulgogi in my Kissam bowl. Growing up with parents who cooked Filipino food every day, I never truly had an opportunity to explore a different way of eating. As someone trying to be more environmentally conscious, I thought it would be worth a shot to explore being vegetarian on campus. It would also give me an opportunity to see how accommodating Vanderbilt’s dining really is. 

And – I’m okay with passing on the dry chicken. 

In order to develop as organic an environment as I could, I didn’t do any specific planning beforehand, and instead planned my meals as I would any other week. This usually consisted of going on NetNutrition the day of or the night before to get a sense of what would be served throughout the day. I was also able to get some recommendations from a friend, who opted to join me on my week-long challenge!

Although I did my best to stay on campus to eat during the challenge, the restricted hours were more of a struggle to work with than I had originally imagined. Regardless, I tried to diversify my vegetarian meals as much as possible. 

Day 1

Perhaps I should preface with the fact that I usually don’t eat breakfast in the morning, simply because I wake up too late for that. My lunches arent incredibly heavy either because my afternoons are usually pretty filled with classes or meetings, so finding the time is hard. On the first day, I opted for a 2301 smoothie and side potatoes for lunch, and a classic 2301 sautee bowl for dinner. I usually get sautee bowls without meat anyways, so this meal wasn’t too different from my day-to-day. 

Day 2

Grins is probably my favorite place to eat on campus; I’m an absolute hoe for their daily specials, so it’s no surprise that I would eventually end up there during vegetarian week. Unfortunately, Grins has been experiencing delivery shortages, so their menu hasn’t been completely poppin’ all the time. Nonetheless, I had the plumpest bagel I’ve ever had in years, and their vegan cream cheese was surprisingly refreshing. In my opinion, it’s a big win on lunch.

For dinner, some friends and I went to Elliston Place Soda Shop, a Taste of Nashville restaurant! Here, I had a grilled cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, a side of mac and cheese, and a shared plate of fried pickles. Overall 10/10. The servers were so nice and funny; I think they’re probably the best ones I’ve encountered since moving in, so the interaction definitely added to the dining experience. My favorite part was probable dessert, which was a lemon icebox pie. It’s literally a frozen lemonade from Chick-fil-A made into a pie. If that doesn’t scream heaven, I don’t really know what does. 

Day 3

Lunch was pretty basic, which featured hummus and veggies from Suzies and a veggie roll from Rand Grab N’ Go. There’s nothing much to say about these because veggies are veggies, and Vandy sushi is pretty comparable to grocery store sushi. For dinner, I had a Kissam bowl, which is easily one of my favorite dinners on campus. This week, however, was pretty disappointing. I decided to add tofu to compensate for the lack of meat, but it was a terrible (yet anticipated) mistake. I’m not sure what I expected with raw tofu, but I felt like I was eating a damp stress ball. It made me sad. The rest of the bowl’s components were passable.

Day 4

For lunch, I went to Grins and ordered their superfood wrap. All I can say is I’m obsessed! Visually, it’s gorgeous and the rainbow of colors instantly makes you happy. It’s composed of literally only vegetables and quinoa, with a side of tahini sauce. I guess sometimes simple is what is phenomenal. For dinner, I had a Kissam acai bowl, which was anti-climactic compared to the wrap. Kissam acai bowl are passable, but they are definitely no Grain and Berry. 

Day 5

For lunch – surprise, surprise – Grins again! This time, they had an olive tapenade sandwich as their special, and I was so excited!!! I grabbed it from the fridge, found a place to sit, unwrapped it, and took a bite. I think there was too much tapenade for my taste. It overpowered the other vegetables, and covered my mouth with enough salt to last me another week. The tapenade itself was lovely, but its hyperdominance was simply not it. 

Fridays are chill days, so my friend and I decided to treat ourselves with some vegetarian meat off campus. We went to Vegelicious, a restaurant that serves vegetarian-friendly Southern soul food. I ordered the SoulChik Plate Hot, which came with hot fried chicken, home fries, mac and cheese, and greens with a roll. I finished with a clean plate – it was sooooo good! The sides were all ‘vegelicious,’ and they reminded me of food from my hometown in south Georgia. The ‘hot fried chicken’ was honestly interesting. It was good, but I think the slices made it feel off. They were incredibly skinny strips, and resembled fries more than actual chicken. The texture itself was passable and reminded me of day-old McDonald’s chicken nuggets, and the flavor was more similar to buffalo chicken than your average Nashville hot chicken or something similar. Nonetheless, I thought it was still awesome, especially since it was vegetarian.

Day 6

On Saturday, my friends and I decided to visit Opry Mills, where we had lunch at their food court! There were pretty limited options, so I opted for a vegetarian caprese from Green Leaf’s Beyond Great Salads. Day 6’s dinner was vegetarian ramen from Shokku Ramen, which is also a part of the Taste of Nashville. I usually get pork broth and pork belly with my ramen, so the mushroom broth was a refreshing surprise. I was worried that the lack of meat would result in a negative ramen experience, but I actually left satisfied. 

Day 7

My last vegetarian day was honestly pretty boring; I had some oatmeal from Munchie for lunch, and a sautee bowl for dinner. Although it didn’t end with a bang, I think my dinner allowed it to go full circle. 

Final Thoughts

Coming into campus, I found out that I wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of their meats, specifically the steak or chicken, because they’re usually dry and unseasoned. Given this and my unnecessary love for Grins, vegetarian week felt incredibly natural. However, I recognize that not everyone wants to walk to the other side of the school for decent vegetarian options. When I checked the menus for Commons, EBI, or Zeppos during the week, I saw their vegetarian options weren’t the greatest. It often consists of the same rotating foods: roasted veggies, tofu, the occasional vegan Korean chicken, rice, pasta, and salad. It seems that the stereotype of ‘vegetarian food’ is perpetuated through these lack of options. We’ve often seen vegetarians to eat simply that, when their palette extends beyond. Vanderbilt has definitely taken some steps to provide options for those with dietary restrictions, but there’s still a long way to go. 

I don’t think I’ll stay vegetarian because I like birria tacos and pork dumplings too much. However, this experience has put to light that I’m fully capable of decreasing my meat consumption. Perhaps one day I’ll move to California and be able to fully immerse myself in the vegetarian lifestyle, but for now, I’ll continue ordering pork in my ramen. 

Commons Cupdate 10/13

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Kickball cut short. No official victor. Commons Unplugged fast approaching. Here’s what you need to know about the latest developments in the Commons Cup.

Kickball Tournament

This past Sunday’s kickball tournament was the most shocking event of this year’s Commons Cup. The ten houses gave everything they had to fight for victory in this second – and final – athletic competition of the Fall Semester. (Don’t worry. There will be more athletic events in the Spring.)

Tournament Overview

The competition began with a fierce battle between Memorial and Gillette that lasted around 40 minutes – twice as long as the standard regulation. Although both teams gave it their all, Memorial edged out in the end with a 6-5 victory. The following game between East and Sutherland was also fought tirelessly, but after a discrepancy regarding the number of outs East had and a subsequent argument with the referees, the game was ended abruptly, handing Sutherland a 6-5 victory.

The second round did not see quite the same level of intensity as the first. It began with West beating Stambaugh 4-2, and was followed by North fending off Murray in a 7-5 victory. The largest story of the second round was the next game between Commons’ largest and smallest houses: Hank and Memorial. Although Memorial was coming off an early win, Hank crushed the house in a decisive 14-2 win. What followed this blowout was the closest game of round two with Sutherland barely holding off Crawford in a tight 6-5 victory.

The semifinals saw a familiar final four to the Ultimate Frisbee Tournament: Hank, North, and West – all semifinalists in ultimate frisbee – were joined by Sutherland to compete for the podium. The first match saw West take an early lead against Hank. While Hank did make a late-game comeback, West maintained the lead, winning in a tight 6-5 victory. The game between North and Sutherland saw the opposite happen with both teams spending most of the game neck-and-neck, and Sutherland then taking a substantial lead late in the game. North was unable to close the gap, and Sutherland won 6-3.

The championship match provided a chaotic end to a chaotic afternoon. The game began with West building a massive 5-0 lead. Sutherland, however, managed to close the gap with a four point rally. Then one of Sutherland’s players suffered a major injury. After some time, the game was declared a tie. Because of this, neither team was awarded first place.

The Podium

1st Place/2nd Place – Sutherland made their presence know. While their performance in Ultimate Frisbee saw them fall short of the semifinals, they did not fall short in kickball. It should be noted that Sutherland won three kickball games before the final match. This number of wins would have been enough for any of the other semifinalists to win the championship outright, but due to Sutherland’s position on the bracket, they needed to win one more game to take home the win. One thing is for sure: Sutherland should not be ignored.

1st Place/2nd Place – West is a force to be reckoned with. Though they barely missed the podium in Ultimate Frisbee, they still were a top team. While the final game ended early, West did hold the lead for the entire game. Don’t be surprised if you see this name on the podium again.

3rd Place – Hank is back for more. The Ultimate Frisbee Champion is the only house to make two podium appearances. Although they fell short of reaching the championship game, Hank still delivered a massive 12 point defeat to Memorial. With its strong performances in both athletic events, this house should be feeling pretty good right now.

Looking Forward: Commons Unplugged

Running from October 31st through November 6th is Commons Unplugged Week. This weeklong series of events focused on helping the environment consists of three major events: Green Activity, Green Forum, and Energy Conservation

Green Activity

This is an event where first-years can get practice working on campus sustainability. Attendance is tracked and counts for points. The details of this year’s Green Activity have yet to be released, but it will take place some time during Commons Unplugged Week. Make sure to be on the lookout for announcements from your house.

Green Forum

This is a lecture on conservation and sustainability that will take place on November 3rd from 7-8PM in the Commons MPR. Attendance is tracked and counts towards Commons Cup.

Energy Conservation

During this week, each house’s energy use will be tracked and compared to that same house’s energy use during Commons Unplugged week in 2019. The goal of each house is to reduce their energy consumption by as much as possible. Points are awarded based on how much energy each house conserves compared to 2019.

*Disclaimer: Daniel Sak, the author of this piece, is the Vice President of Hank Ingram House and was a member of the Hank Ingram kickball team.

Dining as a ‘Dore: Top 5 Things I Learned Trying Every Vanderbilt Dining Facility

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“The food here sucks.” 

Before I moved into Vanderbilt, I received variations of the same message from upperclassmen. Even the comment sections on the @vandycampusdining Instagram page are flooded with brutal roasts and unfiltered messages. 

Can dining really be that bad? 

Nonetheless, I was certain of one thing: I would try every option of food they would offer. While there is still a myriad of foods I haven’t had a chance to try (the Randwich line is always too long), I’ve been able to make stops at every dining facility Vanderbilt has to offer; here are the top five things I learned:

1. Suzie’s locations are not equal 

If you’re like me, coffee is the only reason you’re awake past three in the afternoon. Thank goodness for Suzie’s.

Suzie’s is a cafe with locations around campus: Central Library, MRB III, Featheringhill, and Blair. It’s a great place to grab a quick lunch, a small snack, or a shot of caffeine. However, not every location has a uniform structure. Suzie’s at Central, for example, allows you to panini press wraps or sandwiches, whereas other locations lack this option. 

The inconsistencies expand to their menu, and their definitions for sides, drinks, and entrees with the meal swipe vary. Smaller locations, specifically the ones at Featheringhill and Blair, lack some specialty drinks like lattes on their menu; they also have smaller food selections, with very limited supplies in wraps and sides. At MRB III, cold drinks are considered as entrees if you’re using your meal plan; at Central, they’re considered drinks. If you’re ordering a latte, Central usually only includes one shot of espresso, whereas MRB III includes two. 

2. Explore the Munchie Marts

The Commons Munchie Mart on a Sunday night is reminiscent of my hometown’s Kroger in the beginnings of the pandemic lockdown. It’s a panicked state, where every freshman rushes to buy whatever they can with their remaining meal swipes. Once you’re in the scene, it feels like there’s nothing left; no more CLIF bars, Kraft mac and cheese, or Hot Cheetos. 

When I discovered the other locations in Branscomb, Highland, and Kissam, I was surprised by the variety of options still available and the serenity, compared to the chaos at Commons. Although it is certainly a hike from Commons, it is well worth it if you’re looking to stock up on oatmeal, cereal, or protein bars. 

3. There are options beyond the dining halls

In my first few weeks at Vanderbilt, I often stuck to eating at Rand, Commons, and occasionally–EBI. After a while, the food becomes repetitive, and it becomes difficult to want to eat food anymore. 

So, I tried the wraps at Suzie’s, the sushi at Alumni Cafe, the black bean burger at Grins, bowls at Kissam, and the rotating food trucks on campus. Now, I try to go somewhere different every day, so I’m not facing another meal that I ate the day before. After exploring the different options, I began to notice patterns in traffic. Usually, it’s never really busy at Alumni Cafe, Grins is fairly empty before 12:30 P.M., and it’s best to wait in line for food trucks minutes before they actually open. This becomes a helpful mind-map during lunch when lines become increasingly longer. 

4. Get to the food trucks before the rush

When food trucks were first introduced on Vanderbilt’s campus, my friends and I decided to stand in line for chicken and waffles. Perhaps after two hours without movement, we should’ve taken a hint and rushed to 2301 before they closed. Alas, we were nothing but naive freshmen. 

After three hours, an employee announced there was no food left. This experience almost made me lose confidence in trying the other food trucks, but when one of them promised empanadas, it was hard to say no. I immediately stood in front of the food truck minutes before its official opening, so I would definitively acquire my lunch. Since then, I’ve learned that when you’re able, you should try to come a few minutes earlier than the food truck’s opening time.

 

5. Take advantage of your resources

As aforementioned, meals can get pretty repetitive. How many times can you eat a burger, stir-fry, or Mediterranean food without getting sick of it? Try using NetNutrition, although a hit-or-miss; when it works, it gives you an opportunity to plan your meals ahead of time. It allows you to see what each place has to offer. If you’re not feeling any of the options, maybe it’s time to use your Meal Money to try a new Taste of Nashville restaurant, or maybe it’s a day for a warm cup of ramen at your dorm. 

The Vanderbilt campus dining Instagram is a great resource to find updates about popups, daily food trucks, and other meal-swipe opportunities. You can even use the GET app to pre-order at some locations, like Grins and Holy Smokes. This is the time to be proactive and adventurous about what and when you’re eating. Instead of standing in line for more than twenty minutes, maybe it’s time to try sushi at Alumni Cafe, the gouda mac and cheese at a Munchie Mart, or something completely different from GrubHub. Perhaps it’ll require a bit more walking or exploring, but you are bound to find something you haven’t tried before. 

Takeaways from Fall For the Arts 2021 through the eyes of a Novice Photojournalist

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On an inspiration-high, I decided to become a photojournalist for the week and learned exactly how hard and fury-inducing photos can be (Mad respect for photographers now!). My subject was the performers and attendees of Vanderbilt’s Fall for the Arts during Family Weekend 2021 (10/2/2021). Here are some of the photos I took this weekend and some of my personal takeaways from being a photojournalist. (Shout out to Mr. Carroll at the VSC for letting me rent that sweet camera!)

1. First-Year Students enjoying music before Fall for the Arts
2. A student performs a hip-hop-inspired dance to a K-Pop Number
3. First-Year Student, Emini Offut, in a great mood after his friend killing the K-Pop dance!
4. The highly talented singers from Melanated Acapella performing a song
5. The super live crew from Confi-Dance were in a great mood after they all killed their solos!
6. Extremely talented. All of Them. Period.
7. This acapella group slayed it – I promise!
8. Slightly Blurry First-Year Student, Zack Maaieh enjoying some food with his friend Madison
9. A riveting piece of poetry being delivered about the way we consider names
10. Stephan Bellamy (the newest member of the MCL staff!) delivering a piece as powerful as the tree he was describing
11. The dancers of Nilaja Amari serving energy, talent, and grace in their 3 Modern African-style dances.
12. The passion and energy of this guy were felt by the whole crowd in a lively call and response.
13. A slightly blurry picture of first-years, full of food, Tyler and Steven enjoying their time at Fall for the Arts
14. Vanderbilt’s smash-hit band, Colorado Straightedge, serving up an eclectic mix of songs ranging from Olivia Rodrigo to Childhood-Themed Rock Jam

What I learned from my day as a photojournalist

Taking photos is hard! Out of the 216 photos I took at fall for the arts, only about 12 ended up being non-blurry, centered, or “right” for this post! Below are some of my biggest takeaways, and the photos where there could have been improvement (so we all can learn something!)

  1. Takeaway #1 – Not everyone’s face may focus in every picture! (And it is royally frustrating!) ex. Picture 1, Picture 8, and Picture 13 (p1, p8, p13)!
  2. Takeaway #2 – It is very important to remember who or what you are taking a picture of! (I definitley decided to take pictures of people whose names completely forgot, and I couldn’t seem to find a list of the performers- so we’ll never know who these people are from the captions) (seen missing from the captions of almost every photo)
  3. Takeaway #3 – It takes a lot of confidence and finesse to get up close with subjects. As nice as the zoom is on the fancy camera I used – it still can’t beat the shots I got by getting close to the stage. (p7 and 12)
  4. Takeaway #4 – This is not a takeaway, this is a question – someone please tell me how to focus the camera on faces. (p8 and p13)
  5. Takeaway #5 – Taking photos at a live-event is a very rewarding experience. While shows like this are fun to enjoy from one’s seat in the audience, it is an entirely different experience trying to capture shots of big performace moment – feet away from the performers. And of course, there is no better feeling than finding a gem photo after sifting through a hundred “blurry” photos (p5, p7, p11)

With these lessons, the next time I decide to be a photojournalist for the day – I’ll come back with even bigger and better work. I hope you enjoyed the photos and learned a thing or two about photojournalism. Thanks for reading, viewing, and everyone who agreed to be photographed!

I SURVIVED – A First-Person Account of the 2021 Gen Chem Massacre

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September 23rd, 2021. The time was 7:00PM. Over half of the freshman class shuffled into the exam room in a crowd of palpable anxiety. Students were crying, dying, trying to remember every single polyatomic ion.

No matter who you were or how much/little you had studied, we were all scared to death. It was an uphill battle, but we SURVIVED.

…and we lived to tell the tale.

Here’s what some of our fellow first-years have to say about their survival stories:

BEFORE

“I was so anxious on my walk to the exam that I crapped my pants. No, actually. We’re talking full on bowel incontinence.”

“I seriously almost threw up when they handed me the exam.”

“I couldn’t even fit all my papers on my desk…”

DURING

“I had to swallow my gum and take it like a pill. At that point, it tasted disgusting and I couldn’t focus on my exam.”

“I dropped my hairclip during the exam and it went CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK CLACK…”

“I FORGOT THE DE BROGLIE EQUATION! HOW DID I FORGET THE DE BROGLIE EQUATION?”

AFTER

“I considered jumping off the Vanderbilt bridge on the walk back. Into oncoming traffic.”

“The studying was far from worthwhile…”

“I WAS Pre-Med, but I’m definitely not anymore!”

OVERALL THOUGHTS?

“I’m [screwed].”

(edited due to expletives)

“I’m as uncertain as Heisenberg was.”

“That really sucks, but don’t beat yourself up too hard here. First exam, and now you know what to expect. There’ll be plenty more chances. (…that’s what I’m telling myself lol)”

With all that said, the professors have revealed that this has been the highest Exam1 average in Gen Chem for 3 years. Maybe we didn’t do so badly after all?

Nonetheless, Vandy Class of 2025, I’m proud of you. We did it – we survived.

MCL Top 5: Ways YOU Can Affect Change in Campus Dining

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If you were to ask me what my largest qualm with Vanderbilt Campus Dining was, I would not say the lines or the constant closures or even the lack of choices. While I believe all of these are areas the administration needs to address, there is something I am even more disappointed to have witnessed:

Vanderbilt Campus Dining made us – the student body – feel ignored.

We can feel demoralized when the booming calls to improve our dining experience seemingly continue to go unheard. In spite of this feeling, we do have power. Still, it can be difficult and nerve racking to take a stand, so listed below are the MCL Top 5 Tips on how you can bring about change in Vanderbilt Campus Dining.

1. Identify Where Your Message is Going

Knowing whom you want to receive your message is vital to success. In most cases, you typically want you message to reach those who have the ability to make changes. It can be easy to see Campus Dining as a singular entity, but it is a organization of people with all different types of jobs. The dining staff we interact with every day is a very different group than those who are actually making the decisions. Complaining to those who are subject to Vanderbilt Campus Dining’s administrative decisions, like students and much of the dining staff, will have little effect. You have to direct your message to the administration itself.

2. Know What You Want

This seems like such a simple idea, but many of us forget to consider the end goal. Almost all of us want Vanderbilt’s dining experience to be better, but “making something better” is not a substantive policy change. Do you want shorter lines? More choices? Longer hours? Whatever it is that you want changed, be clear about it. If you are worried about a number of issues, state each one explicitly. Furthermore, offer suggestions when possible. Even if a solution to one of the dining problems seems obvious to you, tell them anyways. There is always a chance they have yet to think of that fix.

3. Assume Campus Dining is Acting Rationally

For my fellow social science majors out there, you have probably heard this one before. Vanderbilt Campus Dining is not operating with evil intent; they simply have an approach moving forward that many of us find detrimental. Always remember that there is a reason they are making these changes. We may think it is a poor reason, but it is a reason nonetheless. If you cannot figure out the rationale (or even if you believe you have figured it out), the best way to begin a conversation with them is to ask “why”. I know it may seem a little odd, but in most cases you get one of two types of responses:

  1. You get a reasonable response that makes sense. If what they say is reasonable, feel free to ask follow up questions and offer suggestions, but I would avoid being overly combative. It is also okay to let an issue go and move on to something else. Some fight are not worth having, and there are plenty of other issues that need addressing.
  2. You get a poorly developed response. This is the time explain you position. If you notice a flaw in their response, cordially bring it to light. In most scenarios, I would pose it in the form of another question, but it is up to your judgement call. However you choose to respond, proceed respectfully.

4. Acknowledge When They do Something Good

Not everything Campus Dining has done in the past few months has been bad. We can sometimes get into a mindset of constant combat and rebuttal, but sometimes one of the most effective strategies to affect change is through positive reinforcement. It is often easier for an organization to do more of something that they are already doing than to develop a whole new system. A compliment is also more likely to be stand out in the barrage of critiques Campus Dining is receiving.

5. Publicize Your Opinion

This is the key to any successful movement. No matter how upset we are, nothing will change if we fail to share our thoughts. Every email written, every post made, every petition signed brings us a step closer to the version of Campus Dining we want to see. The best part of this strategy is that everyone can participate to their own comfort level. It does not matter if you create a petition or just sign it, every little bit helps.

Final Thoughts

After writing this piece, I hope not to leave anyone with the wrong impression. I am proud to be a Vanderbilt student. It is exactly because of this pride I want to see this school become the best it can. Over the summer, Vanderbilt University required the Class of 2025 to read the book When Breath Becomes Air, in which it is stated “You can’t ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.” Although I have not been on campus for a full month yet, it is clear Vanderbilt is pushing us to hold ourselves to this standard. We should ask the same of them.

MCL Top 5: Apps You Should Have By Now As a VU Student

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If you haven’t already pulled out your App Stores or your Google Plays by now, hurry it up, chop chop, get to steppin’, because every app on this list is essential. Why play yourself? Make your life easier right now with 5 easy downloads.

1. DoubleMap

DoubleMap Bus Tracker - Apps on Google Play
Image from the Google Play Store

If you’ve ever been a bit afraid walking back from main campus to commons when it’s dark, or are just plain tired after a long day – you NEED the app DoubleMap. DoubleMap is the app that tracks VandyRides arrival times and locations (aka VandyVans or Vandy Campus Busses). There are 2 main routes, the Gold Route and the Black Route that make circles around campus from 6 pm – 1 am. The stops include but are not limited to: Rand/Sarratt, Hank Ingram, The Rec Center, Zeppos, Blair School of Music, and the School of Nursing (which is right beside the main campus library!) 

There is no need to make an account, just open the menu, go to “Select Routes” and tap “Show All”.  (Note – the busses or their routes will not show up on the map until after 6 pm) Happy Riding! 

(Reminder: Masks are required the entire duration of the bus ride!)

2. Google Calendar

By now you have probably seen people using this app, but I’m going to make the case for why you should too! 1. You can connect it to your Brightspace, and 2. It makes saving events from AnchorLink super easy. 

If you connect Google Calendar to your Brightspace, you can see your class schedule, get notified before class starts or assignments are due, and check when office hours are. Here are the steps to add Brightspace to your Google Calendar. (It is much easier to do this on a computer!)

Step 3. Under “Calendar Feeds,” check the box for “Enable Calendar Feeds” and click save
Step 6. Open Google Calendar – Under “Other Calendars,” Select “Add New Calendar from URL”
  1. Go to the “Calendar” tab in your navigation bar
  2. Click on “Settings”
  3. Under “Calendar Feeds,” check the box for “Enable Calendar Feeds” and click save
  4. You should now have a tab named “Subscribe” beside the “Settings” tab, click that (if the “Subscribe” button doesn’t appear, refresh the page)
  5. Copy the URL found in the “Subscriptions” Tab, make sure to include “All Calendars and Tasks from the Dropdown Window.
  6. Open Google Calendar – Under “Other Calendars,” Click the “+” to add new calendar and click “from URL”
  7. Paste the Brightspace URL into the box, and select “Add Calendar”
  8. Your Brightspace and Google Calendar are now linked! If everything doesn’t show up make sure you refresh the page and check the box under “Other Calendars” that should be called “All Courses – Vanderbilt University”

3. Venmo (Or Alternatives like Cashapp and Zelle)

Images from Google Play Store

When people are out doing a Target run asking if you want something, if you shared an Uber, if someone purchased anything on your behalf – it is so much simpler to pay them back using a mobile app, – and it takes 10 seconds. (Just take the time to at least set it up).

I find that most people that I talk to have Venmo, so start with that. But it’s always good to have options like Cashapp. It’s personally not my thing, but you can even quickly trade stocks and bitcoin in these apps. Read more about the safety of these apps here: 

Cashapp – https://cash.app/help/us/en-us/3127-keeping-your-cash-app-secure

Venmo – https://venmo.com/about/security/

If you don’t feel safe putting bank information into another app even after reading those safety policies, try Zelle. A lot of bank apps such as First Bank, Bank of America, and literally hundreds more have Zelle embedded right into their bank apps that you likely already have.

Uber (Or its Alernative, Lyft)

Uber - Request a ride - Apps on Google Play
Taken from the Google Play Store
Taken from the Google Play Store

Have you explored downtown yet? The Gulch maybe? Needed to buy specific products or get your hair done off-campus. Well, Uber, the ride-sharing app is a great way to do that. Not only can you use it to get places, but you can also use the app to ride scooters (VU Scooter Policy – https://www.vanderbilt.edu/movevu/scooter-and-bike-share-faq/), order food delivery, and most importantly, split the uber-bill in-app when you ride together. To read more about Uber’s safety, you can check out this website – https://www.uber.com/us/en/ride/safety/.

Lyft also works the same way minus food and scooters, however, prices can sometimes vary, so it is good practice to check both apps. Create an account and get exploring!

5. Headspace

Headspace: Meditation & Sleep - Apps on Google Play
Taken from Google Play Store

Are you stressed (Why did I ask, you go to Vanderbilt, there’s a very high chance you are!) Well, if you feel like you need to take a break to breathe, the app Headspace can help! It has meditation, daily inspirational videos, sleep background noise, peaceful stress release workouts, and more.

Here’s the kicker though, IT’S FREE. Vanderbilt has a partnership with Headspace, and all VU students have access to more of the premium content. Read more about it here: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2020/08/21/student-care-network-launches-headspace-for-2020-21-academic-year/ and Sign Up here: https://work.headspace.com/vanderbilt/member-enroll

Note: The number of accounts may be limited.

Final Words and Honorable Mentions

If you made it this far, you should have all these apps on your phone right now! Although they didn’t make the top 5, here are some honorable mentions you may already have: 1. the VandySafe App (great for checking dining hall menus), 2. The Vanderbilt App (great for checking events), and 3. GroupMe (no description needed – if you don’t have this what are you even doing!)

Stay Updated on the MCL Instagram!

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Throughout the month of September, we’ll be posting updates, mini features, and interactive stories! Make sure to keep up with My Commons Life by following us on Instagram @mycommonslife to find content for first years, by first years.